UMUR "Morbid Reich" is the third demo recording by Polish death metal act Vader. The demo was released through Carnage Records in November 1990 (not that it´s the first time in history, but it´s still quite unusual for a demo to be released through a label). It´s the successor to the "Necrolust" demo from March 1989. The demo has quite the interesting history as it´s one of the best-selling demos in metal history, reportedly selling over 10.000 copies and add to that the fact that it was one of the first extreme metal demos to appear from behind the iron curtain and reach this level of success, "Morbid Reich" indeed is a historic release.

If "Necrolust" was a high energy raw and savage thrash metal release with death metal leanings, "Morbid Reich" has now taken Vader into the death metal camp with thrash metal leanings (artists like Slayer, Kretor, and Sodom are still valid references). Wiwczarek´s vocals are now intelligible growling instead of rabig dog snarling, and the sharper more brutal guitar tone and more heavy bottom of the music, provide the material with a more extreme and brutal sound. The demo features 6 tracks and a total playing time of 20:57 minutes. 5 of the tracks are new compositions (one is a short intro) while "The Final Massacre" is a re-recording of the same track from "Necrolust".

As if the quality of the material wasn´t enough to investigate this demo, I can highly recommend listening to the demo for the sound quality alone. The sound on this demo is pretty much a stroke of genius considering that it´s a demo. It´s raw and brutal as it should be, but still detailed enough for the listener to clearly hear all instruments and vocals in the mix. The guitar tone is exceptionally well sounding and the drums are even better produced, featuring a sharp, powerful tone, which helps drive the music forward in a great energetic fashion.

So upon conclusion "Morbid Reich" is a high quality demo release from Vader and it´s no wonder that Earache Records would show interest and sign the band for the release of their debut full-length studio album "The Ultimate Incantation" (November 1992, Earache Records). A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.